The Johnson model 750 pitch and slope locator is about as explanatory as tools come, and it’s also a compact angle finder that can be used in other applications.
There’s an angle finder on one side, with measurements spanning from 90° left to 90° right in 1° increments, and a pitch and slope gauge on the other side that reads in inches of rise per foot.
The layout tool is made in the USA with a high-impact housing and ultrasonically-welded cover.
Johnson says theirs is the ideal tool for identifying roof pitch, stair slope, drainage angles. conduit bend angles, or for making general angle measurements.
Price: ~$6-7
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Discussion
Sure, you can buy digital angle finders, digital levels, and I’m sure there are apps you can load onto your smartphone. But, sometimes it’s nice to use a tool that doesn’t use batteries, can be dropped without much stress or repercussions, and can handle uncertain environmental conditions.
I don’t know much about Johnson’s 750 angle and slope finding tool, but it’s been on my wishlist for a while, and for the aforementioned reasons. I do enjoy using good digital tools, but sometimes they don’t provide the best visualizations or can be clumsy to use. This little gauge by Johnson looks *just right* for a lot of different types of quick angle measurement tasks, or for when you need quick pitch or slope measurements without breaking out a calculator.
The reason I haven’t purchased one yet is because I splurged on a digital angle finder for woodworking machine use. I plan to order one eventually, should my digital angle finder ever give me trouble, I need quick outdoor pitch and slope measurements, or my curiosity finally gets the best of me.
If you regularly use this or other angle-finding tools like it, what kinds of tasks does it come in handy for? Would you swap yours for a digital tool, or are you happy with its analog markings?
